Voice of the Forest
by Writer-Steph-94
Summary: On the return from a seemingly routine mission to Sundermount Hawke and her companions encounter a strange woman with even stranger powers. Sebastian is enraptured by this ethereal creature and is determined to know her better. Will it all end in tears?


Ambling through the forests under Sundermount Hawke and her companions were not in the best of spirits. They had just had to root out an infestation of giant spiders in a cave they had been on a mission in and of course Fenris and Anders had had to get into an argument mid battle and it had ended with Sebastian almost dying on them. They were now walking in complete silence as Hawke seethed angrily and the two dolts who had been the cause of it all stalked behind her in stubborn silence, each shooting the other the occasional look of loathing.  
"Hawke I…"

"Anders if the next words out of your mouth aren't 'will not speak to you until I have removed my head from my ass' then I will punch you." Hawke growled out to the blonde mage as she turned on him, her blue eyes flashing dangerously. Anders gulped and nodded his head in acquiescence before lapsing back into silence.

"Let's make camp, Seb' looks like he could drop any minute. Fenris, go collect firewood while Anders checks on him." She snapped before dropping her pack to the ground and running a hand through her dishevelled short black hair in irritation; the lyrium tattooed elf nodded before disappearing off into the trees.

"We don't have to stop Hawke, I'm quite alright." Sebastian offered despite the fact he was white as a sheet and a thin sheen of sweat that had nothing to do with the trek down from the mountain covered his skin. Hawke merely gave him a look and indicated Anders to get to work on the chantry priest/ Prince when she heard a grunt and saw Fenris being thrown into the clearing followed by a toned tanned woman with barely any clothes on, a wolf and a large cat like creature at her heels. She had golden hair hanging in waves of tangled disarray down to her waist with thin braids decorated with beads and feathers placed randomly throughout, slightly slanted exotic eyes so dark they appeared black in the fading light that looked at home in her ethereal features. Her body was toned, muscles predominate but not overly so, and exposed to the elements as she wore only a tight leather cropped shirt that stopped under her breasts, a loin cloth on her hips and the pelt of some black beast across her shoulder like a cape. Her obsidian eyes blazed as she stood above the prone form the lyrium covered elf and gazed at the group in silence.

"You are no longer welcome in this forest. Leave or die." She stated in a voice devoid of any emotion. It was cold and dead like her impossibly dark eyes. Hawke half rose from her position on the ground but the wolf snarling at her stopped her from moving any further.

"Calm yourself Ajeet. These monsters will be gone from here and take their taint with them soon." The blonde woman soothed as she ran a hand through the thick dark pelt of her wolf companion.

"Monsters? We're people, just like you." Anders cried his golden eyes flickering blue for a moment as justice reacted to the strange woman's words.

"No. You are defilers of nature, killers at the core. Filthy, stinking beasts that call yourselves civilised when you are more beast than the animals of the forests and skies that you hunt. You are _nothing_ like me." She snarled in response her hands forming claws at her sides as she looked as if she would attack them but the cat like creature moved in front of her and nudged her richly tanned knee back. The woman looked down at the cat and sighed deeply before kneeling down and petting the great cat with a small facsimile of a smile curling on her lips revealing a hint of what appeared to be fangs.

"You are right Keres. I will not kill them though I wish I could. We are not like unto them, we do not kill without need or reason." She murmured to the cat like creature, nuzzling her face into the tabby like fur before straightening and looking down at Hawke and her companions.

"You will leave. Now. And never return to defile these forests, its waters or the beasts and birds that reside here e'er again." The woman stated before turning on her heal to leave.

"Wait! How would you ever know? Why should we listen to you?" Hawke called after her as she rose to her feet, hands on her daggers. The woman half turned back to the small group with raised eyebrows before replying.

"The spirits of the forest would tell me if you returned, they do not like your presence here anymore than I. They see you for what you are, you people are like ravenous wolves that prowl the land consuming anything in their path and they do not wish to be consumed by you. And as for why you should heed my words, simply try to defy me and you shall see. "

"Our companion is injured, we cannot simply up and leave!" Hawke insisted gesturing to Sebastian who was sat on the ground, his chest heaving and a dangerous fever burning in his face. The woman regarded him coldly for a minute before striding forward, past Hawke and Anders to kneel by the archer's side. She lay a surprisingly gentle hand on his forehead, her mouth turning down as she felt the burning temperature raging through him before she breathed deeply took his hand and began to chant softly.

"Spirits of the forest hear my plea; a man lies here sick and dying. Heed my call and aid my will, to heal this man and all his ills."

As Hawke and Anders watched the trees rippled though there was no wind and a soft light seemed to fill the clearing as a halo of green light surrounded the strange woman. Sebastian gazed up at her in wonder; to him she looked like an angel with her moving in a non-existent wind, her skin glowing faintly and her eyes now a brilliant vivid green as she healed him. He could feel a wellness and wholeness he had not felt in years fill him, healing the injuries done to him by the spiders and so much more. Pulling her hand back the trees stilled and her eyes returned to black as she stood.

"Your friend is healed. You can leave now." She said softly before rising and moving off.

"Thank you." Sebastian called after her as he rose slowly to his feet, feeling better than he had in years. The strange woman paused once more.

"Do not thank me. Thank the forest, I only offered the conduit for it's strength to heal you." She replied quietly almost too quiet for him to hear before she disappeared back into the forest like a ghost in the night, her animals following her.


End file.
